The apparatus disclosed herein is useful primarily for small animals considered as domesticated canines, and felines as well as similar sized or smaller wild animals. Such animals must receive treatment from time to time or simply be moved from place to place into unfamiliar surroundings by handlers unfamiliar to the animal. In many cases the animal is sick or hurt thus adding to their distress. Distressed animals defend themselves the only way they know, by tooth and claw. Unfortunately humans often interpret this behavior as aggression and use extreme measures to restrain the animal. Such measures often further antagonize the animal.
When an animal that must be treated is of a significant size and there is insufficient time to coax the animal into submission, or the animal is a danger to humans and other animals, some means must be employed to restrain the animal without injury to the animal or human personnel. In most cases either the owner or personnel charged with the responsibility for the animal gains some degree of control over the animal by applying a leash or chain to the animal's neck or collar. The animal can then be forced into a crate for transport.
Where this is not possible, in cases where the animal can not be approached readily, a capture pole having rope or cable lanyard having a retractable loop at one end is used to encircle the animal's head and cinched tightly, often choking the animal into submission. The animal is lifted using the pole into a cage where the capture pole is removed. Upon arrival at a treatment center the animal must then be removed from the cage or transferred again by force using the capture pole, all of which is a traumatic experience for both the animal and the personnel involved. Even when the animal is safely caged, treating or sedating the animal may also become a major problem. The possibility of serious injury to the animal or handling personnel is quite high during these events.
In view of the above problems and the processes currently used to control violent animals it becomes apparent that a more secure, less violent approach is needed. Therefore, it would be beneficial to transfer control of an animal having a lead around the animal's neck to another handler if the animal's head is muzzled so as to prevent any possibility of the handler being bitten. Further, once muzzled the animal may be sedated thus reducing stress while being handled. The problem of placing the muzzle over the animal's head without injury to the animal or handling personnel has defied handlers for years. The apparatus disclosed herein and its method of use provides a straightforward approach that solves the above problems in a simple manner with less stress for all.